1. Field of the Invention
In the case of the known audio and video cassettes, the usually two-part right-parallelepiped cassette housing consists of opaque, usually black-coloured plastic material, there usually being rectangular transparent regions for observing the tape rolls on one or, preferably, both outsides of the cassettes. In these cases, the transparent regions are adhesively fixed or welded into the remaining opaque housing, as a result of which cassettes of a relatively low dimensional stability are obtained. In order to eliminate this disadvantage, transparent and opaque parts are injection-moulded simultaneously and thus joined together and form one unit, which constitutes a costly process however. Furthermore, labels and other panels providing the good appearance of the cassette are adhesively affixed.
2. Description of Related Art
Also known are audio cassettes with which the housing walls are one piece and are completely transparent, such as for example in U.S. Pat. No. 4,267,986 and DE-OS 3,019,441, 3,111,304, 3,614,898. It is known from EP 0,137,929 to colour the housing walls and thus lend the cassette an attractive appearance. It is known from DE-GM 7,628,256 to make parts of the transparent cassette walls opaque by masking. In addition, methods of colour-coating of the cassette walls exist. Finally, DE 3,604,261 describes designing housing parts in two layers, namely consisting of, for example, a transparent layer and an opaque layer, which are laminated on each other.
It is shown from the prior art presented above that, to produce a magnetic tape cassette with an attractive outer appearance, either several successive operations are required or a complicated structure, or else that mechanical deficiencies of the cassette have to be accepted. It is therefore the object to create a magnetic tape cassette of the type mentioned at the beginning which does not have the deficiencies listed and which can be produced simply and inexpensively.